Sileo Briefing: Gird Her Loins with Strength

[Santaru Rin]

Mission Rank: A-Rank
Team Leader: Tagiushi Moro
Battle: RP Only q_q
Details: Rumor has it that the forge of the gods has been recovered by one of the warring factions. Whether truth or propaganda, this rumor must be punctured before it can grow, and any truth to the matter should revert solely to the hands of Kumogakure no Sato. A briefing will be provided to the mission recipient.

Members Needed: Tagiushi Moro, Kogami Ayumu, Kizoku Shindou, Sude Genshu
Modded by: Rin
notes: This mission requires IV travel and will occur in Kelmura. Occurs contemporaneously with Masao's mission arc.

Rin tapped the blunt end of her pen against the desk in time with some internal rhythm to which only she was privy. In other words, the tapping was out of time. She had never been particularly musical, though once she had been Takaki Masao's self-styled manager, back when she thought he was a rockstar. Back when, in other words, she was stupid.

The artesian well burbled softly. Despite having a spring in her office, the huge space was never particularly damp. The humidity stayed at a low level--enough not to desiccate all the papers, but not moist enough to encourage mildew. She suspected it was some property of the mountain's stone.

Really, she was simply waiting on three men. One was old, one was young, and one was her insane trainee in another life. They had an interesting job to do...

 

[Tagiushi Moro]

After his most recent mission, he had crawled into bed and collapsed, sleeping over 48 straight hours. Upon awaking, saying that he was rested and refreshed would be a gross understatement. Carrying the tainted Mark with him for so long, it was almost as if he had forgotten what it was like to truly feel alive. The scar on the hollow of his throat had dwindled to a rather normal looking speck, and tests for demonic influence had come back with results resoundingly negative. The first day without the mark, he had ingested almost 10,000 calories-even the Mess staff had grown concerned after Moro had been the only corpsmen in the great hall for hours, single-handedly keeping the buffet running, bowls stacked in front of him like some second rate shounen anime. In a matter of days he was turning back from emaciated leper, into his slender, but still broad-shouldered and muscular self, vigor and vitality flushing into his face with astounding celerity.

And so, striding into the office of the Regent Commander with head high, and a confidence in posture and gait that could really best be described as swag, he bowed before addressing Rin with his customary greeting, enthusiasm comparable to the days of his long forgotten, (wishful thinking) youth. Gear and boots polished to a sheen fit for formal parade, even clean shaven-a rare, neigh unheard of treat indeed-whatever today would bring, he would be ready.

One might think that learning the knowledge of your own death, even seeing it pan out before you like a real-time snapshot jutsu, would render most invalid or anxious, but for Kumogakure ANBU, death was something one walked hand in hand with every day. Seeing the grizzly fate itself displayed before him had done little to faze him after the initial shock had worn off. Upon introspection, it simply wasn't something that came as a surprise in their line of work, and had really only motivated Moro to make as much happen, to live life to the absolute fullest possible, until that day reared its head. There would be no escaping it, and the thought of doing so had not even crossed his mind.

He knew he would be leading a squad today, but as for specifics, logistics, or circumstances, he hadn't a clue. Moro only loosely paralleled the change of position with Mordgeld's recent departure from the corps.

"Regent Commander-sama," Moro said brightly, "There are some...details that Buntaicho Morishima insisted I go over with you. Some other time obviously, but it is regarding 'retiring' the Sennin formerly known as: Vice Commander Takaki's 'jersey'. If you have any specific ideas for the wake let her or I know." His voice dropped after the greeting to a quiet, almost reverent intonation. Everyone in the SoD had taken to calling Masao the title, partially out of respect, and partially because it was hilarious.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

The memo went out eight days prior to the mission, but Ayumu was still out on his previous mission when it was posted. It wasn't until about four days later that he returned to the Sileo Tempestas and saw his name posted on the memo board. The first thought that crossed his mind was sadly that he might be up for some kind of punishment. This board seemed to be frequently used for warning the ANBU about a particular person or calling an ANBU in for discipline. He was delighted to see that this was not the case. In fact, it was actually positive for once- a promotion!

He did meet the requirements for it, after all. He had quickly learned many of the ANBU jutsu and done the required number of ANBU missions. He had even learned Vulgar Kumo, at least at a passable level in order to meet that one last requirement. Apparently it had all been noticed and they had deemed him ready to be tested. Well, that was something they agreed on. He knew he was ready to become an ANBU, and itching to get the chance. Now he just had to prepare for the exam. How exactly did one do that?

After a few days of stocking up on supplies for the mission, checking and double checking his equipment, the time came to be briefed on the mission. Ayumu received a note stating that the briefing would be taking place in the office of the ANBU Sennin. From this he deduced that the ANBU Sennin would be the one doing the briefing. He was logical like that. He made his way hastily to the Sennin's office in his mission attire including armor and weapons, but missing the mask for the time being. It could be summoned later anyway.

Reaching the office, he paused outside for a moment to make sure he looked neat and tidy and then pushed open the doors. Inside was, of course, the ANBU Sennin herself, Santaru Rin AKA The Regent Commander. Although he had seen her in the mission atop the Torre Celeste when they had handled the hostage situation with the Raikage, he hadn't personally spoken to her since she met him for coffee shortly after he was appointed as a trainee. With her was Tagiushi Moro, a man whom Ayumu had been on two mission with now and had earned Ayumu's respect. In his excitement over the idea of a promotion he had failed to notice that the leader of the mission would be Moro. 'Does that mean he's up for promotion too? Nice,' he thought, as he closed the doors behind him and stepped over to stand beside Moro.

"Regent Commander-sama... Tagiushi-san," he greeted the both of them, clasping his hands behind his back. What remained now was for the other members of the team to arrive and for the briefing to begin. He wondered what they would be off doing this time. It couldn't be the craziest mission he'd had yet, right?

 

[Shiruba]

Shindou never got a break from his job and he enjoyed it for the time being. The scruffily 47 year old veteran was able to complete his requirements to be reinstated as an ANBU. Santaru Rin already talked to him about who was on his team and who was the leader. Shindou didn't have a problem with not being a leader of this mission or exam, which ever they wanted to call it. All he desired was for the outcome to be a success with flying colors and have all of his members past their exam. As soon as he made it back to the village, he went straight to the memo board and he saw where he was needed to be debriefed at. The Sennin was going to do the debriefing herself and so he went straight to her headquarters. Shindou was able to see his two allies and the Commander sitting even though he was a thousand feet away. His eyes were extremely useful especially during surveillance missions.

The village royal walked up to the door patted of any dust on his old, scorched, black robe. Shindou wore his normal attire, his robe and his ANBU gear underneath. Getting dressed up or attempting to look nice was a waste of time, he had a mission to do and by God it was going to get done. So far, Shindou's mission percentage was 100% successful and he doesn't want that to end especially today.

Shindou entered the room and saw the Commander seated. Regent Commander, Shindou gave a short bow a sign of respect and he gave Taguishi and Ayumu each nods. Shindou took a seat, ready for debriefing.

 

[Santaru Rin]

Rin gave Moro a sidelong look. "His... Jersey. I see. I've assigned Kaoru to take care of retrieving his effects, but if Morishima-buntaichou has a request... We'll discuss it later. Your teammates should be here soon."

And speak of the devil: no sooner than Rin had closed her teeth on the final punctuation of the preceding sentence, Ayumu arrived, and hot on his heels, Shindou.

"Gentlemen. Tagiushi-san, Kizoku-san; you remember the invasion." It wasn't a question: no one alive during that black day could ever forget the event. It was unnecessary to even name who had invaded. "Each of you have, at separate times, on separate assignments, acted as my eyes and arms in a broader scheme. I aim to prevent a repeat of that past catastrophe. You are three of my most well-positioned pieces in this regard. Each of you also have your own goals. Thus, Tagiushi-san, you will be leading this team. It is your evaluation for squad captain. If you come back having led these men to victory, you will be promoted to buntaichou. If you fail, I expect that you will have destroyed the evidence." Including your corpse, as befits a Santaru. "Kogami-san, Kizoku-san. You will be operating under Tagiushi-san's command. Contingent upon your performance, you will be promoted to full mempo status, with the attendant responsibilities and privileges. If you succeed yet die, your promotion will be posthumous."

Rin stood and, with a broad sweep of her hand, unrolled a map across her desk. Overlapping the huge map was an equally large piece of transparent onion paper. The map showed the Lightning Country peninsula; the onion paper was marked with exacting lines and intricate sweeps of colored ink, some red, some black, some indigo. Without the map, the paper layer looked like a geometric diagram for occult purposes.

"I have intelligence that a supposed divine forge has been located near Kelmura. If this is the truth, this tool will be much desired--not just by unnameable forces, but also by earthly creatures. Kogami-san saw these men recently and knows of their factions; of all of you, he has the most direct experience with the 'cabal.' Kizoku-san is also familiar with the crafts of our enemy and will be able to provide you guidance on what is genuine and what is dross.

"Kelmura remains a shithole. It is also the site of one of the cabal's strongholds--a crucial one, but not, I suspect, the true center. I think they have no center at all. If I am right, they are operating in cells; only one individual from each cell has knowing contact with anyone in the cabal outside of that cell. That means that destroying them root and branch is more difficult, now, but it also means that their organization is fragile, sensitive to disruption and chaos. I ask you to create such chaos as they hope to unleash on our nation.

"And so. You will be staging a heist. You have a week to arrive in Kelmura and a few more days to make your plan. In all, this operation must conclude within a fortnight. Either you discover the truth about this forge or you do not; most important to us all is that everyone else believes there is no such thing. But if you deliver us the truth--and, in the case of this forge being real--the goods, then we shall have an advantage if the time comes, and our foes will be deprived of many opportunities for harm. While you travel, I can take care of arrangements, but this is the time to determine what you will need from the outset."

She paused, meeting each of their eyes.

Your task has multiple stages.

1. Now is the time for Q&A--your PCs should ask what they can think of now, as there may be no time to call the village later!

2. The PCs will need approximately 5-7 IC days by train and horseback to reach Kelmura, which is a large city and a well-known haven for all sorts of shady characters. It is the site of Lightning Country's largest and most sophisticated grey and black markets. Arrangements determined now will be made while your PCs are en route. Information may also be gathered during this stage.

3. Once you arrive, you'll need to put your plan into action! How this stage plays out depends on you. You might have made arrangements for additional resources in advance, and you might be able to call on some pre-determined advantages.

4. Escape! Return home... With a victory or a failure.

 

[Tagiushi Moro]

Moro brightened even further as Ayumu entered Rin's office. "Kogami!...san." Bropounds were surely in order, but infront of the Sennin, Moro had a sneaking suspicion that acting in a capacity most professional would be appropriate. He returned the other trainee's nod. He recognized the scarred man from the infamous "barfight" at Squint's, but they had never been formally introduced. Rumors were that this trainee, although old, had infiltrated and taken down a criminal organization single-handedly. Rin wasted no time in buckling down to the matter at hand.

Hearing that he would be leading such an experienced squad filled him with a measure of pride, his chest unconsciously puffed out a bit and his eyes widened momentarily in surprise. They would be staging a heist in Kelmura, a city that Moro was unfamiliar with. He grabbed the reins: "For starters, I'd like to hear about what we do know. What is this map telling us exactly, and what do we hypothetically know about the forge itself, and the group's presence in Kelmura."

He looked to the trainees, "Kogami-san, tell us what you know about this 'cabal', and Kizoku-san, was it? What do you know about the items that they have sought so far. I would actually like to hear from you on this as well, Ayumu. Also if either of you have ever been to Kelmura, please speak up.

________

"Well, if we're going to be stealing this 'forge'-granted it exists-a simple smash and grab won't do. We're too few and we've too little information. Regardless, I can tell you right now Santaru-sama, that we'll need shaped explosives. At the very least more e-notes than a shinobi can carry on their person at one time, as well as signal-boosting equipment for our headsets. Our first order of business will be to establish a safe house. Since we have such a large area to cover and a great deal of intel to gather, I find it prudent that we split up, at least at first, and figure out what we can on our own. Constant communication via headset and also rendezvous at the safe house every twenty-four hours will be required. Radio silence will be taken to mean that you've been compromised, without providing warning. Understood?" Moro met each of their eyes in turn.

"Kizokou-san, you will be our sensory type and primary scout. Among your responsibilities will be making sure that once we've located the cabal, any mapping or analysis of guard patrols will make or break this plan. Kogami-san, you will also track down what information you can around town, and will be responsible for making sure the safe house is secure at all times. I will be taking the remaining third of the city, and will find out what I can. I cannot stress enough how vitally important sharing what we know, and constantly updating one another will be. Once we arrive in the city, in reality we will have very little time to gather information and execute.

"Firstly we will need to verify whether the forge exists, and where it is located. There is no doubt in my mind that even if the forge turns out to be a farce, the cabal is keeping something in Kelmura worth hiding, and we will be taking it. Moving in and out of the facility as quickly as possible will be our goal, shock and awe tactics suit the size of our group, also considering that reinforcements from other cells is unlikely.

"With such short notice, the break in itself will most likely be fluid. Kogami will be the bait or distraction if needed, and if we really get into the shit, he will be the frontline while I support him with ninjutsu from range, while Kizoku-san floats back and forth as needed between us." He hoped he looked as confident as he sounded. The saving grace here wouldn't be Moro's brilliant tactician's mind, or lack thereof, it would be that he had such proven and capable squad members to rely on regardless of what their plan was...or what actually happened.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

The demon invasion had happened before Ayumu was born, but he was well aware of it. There were textbooks on it, they studied it in the Academy. Countless cautionary tales had been told about the attack and about demons, as well as those associated with demons. Apparently Rin was hoping to avoid a second coming of demons by snatching up their relics before less reputable types got the chance to use them. Ayumu had just recently returned from one of these missions, in fact. He, Gin, and Kosei had retrieved a gauntlet which apparently had some demonic taint to it. Even being near it gave Ayumu a sense of dread, like it wanted to do harm to him.

Rin went on to confirm that this mission would also serve as an exam to test whether the three of them were prepared for a promotion. Ayumu and Shindou would be vying for status as full Mempo, true ANBU. Moro, leading the mission, would be becoming a Captain. He wondered if there was a chance Moro would become head of the Sword of Damocles now that Masao had turned Main Branch Sennin, but that was a thought for another time. They needed to make this mission successful first. She also said what they should do if they fail, but clearly that was not necessary. They did not know the meaning of the word "fail". Or 'posthumous'.

The Regent Commander spread a map out on her desk, as well as an overlay that had many points marked with lines forming designs that looked like they meant something. Apparently intelligence had discovered that another artifact, a 'divine forge' was located in Kelmura and a cabal stronghold. There was that faction again, the cabal. They had been present in the fortress where Ayumu and the others had found the gauntlet, one of three factions searching for it. Four, if you included Kumogakure. Rin went on to explain to them what each of them brought in terms of knowledge, and what their mission was. A heist, with the forge as the target- it sounded much like Ayumu's last mission but with less intel to go on.

Moro was unexpectedly quick to jump in, asking some questions for Rin, some things that needed to be asked. He then turned to Ayumu and Shindou to ask what they knew of the cabal and the artifacts they each chased. Ayumu decided to speak up first. "Well, I don't know how much I can say about the cabal. I didn't exactly get the chance to have a conversation with them, but they seemed fairly organized. From what I could tell they were samurai, they all seemed to have swords. The ones I saw looked like..." he said, pausing to place his hands together in a seal. After forming the seal a puff of smoke concealed his appearance for a moment as he transformed in to one of the cabal members he had seen for the benefit of the other two.

"...This. I don't know if we can expect them all to look like this. Probably not, if they're trying to be secretive, but if you see one like this you'll know for sure. Now as for the artifact we went after... I have no idea what it does, but it looked like a regular old gauntlet. Completely inconspicuous, except that it gave me the feeling, just being around it, that it would choke me in my sleep. It emanated some kind of unpleasant energy," he concluded, providing all the information he had to give. Shindou would no doubt give the information he had as well. Then, Moro went on to lay out his plan which was surprisingly well thought out it seemed. Ayumu was impressed.

"I have no objections to any of that," Ayumu said, glad to hear he would be on the front lines. That was the place where he excelled in combat, so it was certainly the proper placing for him. Now was their chance to ask questions of the one who probably knew the most about the cabal and the artifacts, so Ayumu wanted to get some information before they left. "Regent Commander, can you tell us more about the cabal... is there anything we should know about them? Also, I've never been to Kelmora either, is there anything we should know about that city? Why do you call it a shithole? Is there any chance we could get anyone there to cooperate with us?" he asked, trying to coax any useful information out before they departed.

"Oh, and is there any information on their stronghold? I don't suppose they're out in the open occupying a fortress like last time..." he asked, recalling the fortress he had infiltrated in the previous mission. It wasn't particularly well guarded, not difficult for a shinobi to sneak in, and it stood out like a sore thumb. If they were lucky, their target would be in an obvious place like that. If they weren't, it would be hidden in a random someone's basement that would take some serious searching to find.

 

[Shiruba]

It seemed Tagiushi Moro and Ayumu was both well aquanted which means the chemistry within the team was nice and stable. Shindou was the only outlier as he never met either of the three, he was sure that he would merge with this group fine. The debriefing was underway and as soon as the Commander mentioned the demon invasion his eyes widened in shock. He would never have thought this was capable of happening again. The invasion is was caused Shindou's left side of his body to obtain third degree burns which includes his face. His brother a mednin at the time performed the surgery to attempt to repair and rejuvenate his skin but it was impossible to fix such injuries completely. Shindou's body was still damage and easily noticeable, it was shocking that none of his team mates mention anything about it. This old vet was not alone with obtaining battle scars, Moro-san has deep scars along both sides of his face. The history behind them must be interesting.

Santaru Rin laid out a map of the peninsula and the debriefing finally started. She mention that Shindou knew the crafts of the Cabal but he didn't understand what she meant. He never heard of the Cabal or the divine forge. It seems he was in the dark the whole time about something this dangerous. Shindou tried to think further of what she meant, was it the items he did on one of his missions for the archaeologists? The old man hate being in the dark about things and he wanted to know everything and anything immediately.

This divine forge, can this be used to resurrect the demons and is there any hint of what it actually looks like?

His team leader asked what he knew but he was blank, he doesn't know of anything about the cabal or the items Rin was talking about.

Taguishi-san, I don't know anything about this cabal group or items they maybe searching for. This is the first time I heard about this cult as well.

Shindou was fine with this plan, he was the scout like he should be. Having the ability to see far distance and through any solid surface would help in this mission. Since, we are on the same team we should know what we are capable of. If we get close enough, I can see anything anywhere within 3000 meters. This may allow me to detect the divine forge without us having to break into their strong hold. Also I utilize shadow jutsu and can create stealth for us.


MFT 425 words

 

[Santaru Rin]

"The overlay is a projection on locations of artifacts and other sources of demonic influence. I believe they were placed according to a plan, suggesting a metaphysical, thaumaturgical diagram that I've charted in two dimensions. We've been working on this for a while.

"The Cabal has all but abandoned the fortress in which the gauntlets were found; only a token presence remains in the underground, as far as I can tell from comings and goings of supplies. Their activities in Kelmura are more difficult to follow, but, as in the capital, they appear to be using disreputable establishments to launder cash for their activities, and have holed up in two estates in the city that we believe are linked by tunnels.

"The forge, supposedly, can imbue weapons and tools with properties exceeding modern manufacture and chakra enhancement. It seems to be a literal forge."

Rin slanted a look at Moro. "Tagiushi-san, I am not giving you a wagon load of explosives. Kelmura may be a shithole, but it won't be improved by becoming another smoking crater. Radio equipment is a can-do. Once you've secured your... discreet... base, you'll be contacted."

She cleared her throat. "The Cabal is an elitist cult. Its heyday was decades ago, when the Crown Prince numbered among its principal leaders. It was much more hierarchical and well-organized then--to the point where purging it after beheading its leadership was anticlimactic. The very few survivors learned their lesson... As far as we can tell, the Cabal still draws most of its manpower from the warrior class and from among nobility with prentensions of nobility. This is the direct result of centralizing power under the Shogun and his bureaucracy. Violent men accustomed to power have found themselves with less of it. Those who are not satisfied with aping the culture of the nobility are using the Cabal to accrue the might to which they believe they are entitled." She drew out a small sheet of paper with two addresses written on it.

"These are their two major cash cows in Kelmura. The city is in some ways a lawless zone. Acitivities illegal in the rest of the nation slip by there. This goes hand in hand with organized crime. The local authorities are complacent for clear reasons. If you have something someone wants, and they can't steal it from you, then you can probably convince them to do whatever you like. Everything is for sale in Kelmura.

"As far as I know, the forge is... Not something which will summon demons. But you have seen the likes of its craft before: what you saw in the ruins are of the same kind, made by the same will. If you see the forge, you will know the truth."

 

[Tagiushi Moro]

His mouth down-turned slightly, having one of his requests denied off the bat. It did seem as if the squad had more to go off of than he originally thought, which was no small comfort. Worse case scenario they could simply trace the lines of the overlay once they were on the ground until they located the place of power they sought.

"Kogami, I'll want you to meet with the contact assuming he doesn't have something for us that requires the entire squad. Kizoku-san, as I had said before, you will need to head directly to both of these manors, and gather as much information as you can. I will be casing their fronts and hopefully locating a point of weakness or insertion. Your shadow jutsu combined with our ANBU training will hopefully suffice for a quiet entry, if it turns out we're not able to choose our exact point of entry. Once we're in, be ready to hit them hard and fast, They will most likely have abilities or equipment that will make quick work of our jutsu or disguises, depending on the scale of the operation it might not even be feasible." Often following the trail of a criminal organization's money flow is the key to bringing out their downfall. Fascination with the occult or no, this cabal sounds like little more than a money and power-hungry group of thugs with fancy toys that let them stick their heads a little farther out of the dirt than your run of the mill gang.

He took the scraps of parchment from the Regent Commander. "If the two of you have no further questions, lets move out."

[TLUS]

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu checked out the map once more as Rin explained the purpose of the lines. He supposed this was how they knew to look in the direction of Kelmura to begin with. Apparently they had two estates within the city and connections in the city built to earn some money for their endeavors. Those could possibly shaken down for some information, if need be. The nature of the forge almost made Ayumu want to ask if he could use it, but he suspected that question would be frowned upon. Moro's request for numerous explosives was sadly denied. It sounded as though it would have made for a flashy entrance if nothing else. At least they were getting their radio equipment so they could keep in contact while separated in the city.

They were given two addresses related to the Cabal's funding which they could check out for leads to where the Cabal was located in the city, and hopefully the forge as well. It also sounded like they would be able to buy some information from varying sources as well. "...and we'll be provided some funds for getting information of course," Ayumu said, just to be sure. Naturally they wouldn't be expected to do that out of pocket, there was always an allotment of money for this sort of mission! Moro quickly began assigning their tasks for when they reached the city. Ayumu was to try to find a contact he could use for information- he supposed he would have to ask around in some seedy areas of town.

Moro was ready to move out, and Ayumu couldn't think of any further questions so he nodded and followed Moro. "We'll be back with the forge before you know it!" he said, which was probably very reassuring to the Sennin. He checked to make sure Shindou was coming as well and then headed out of the tower towards the gates.

[Topic Left] [MFT: 319]

 

[Santaru Rin]

As the other two left, Rin slanted a wry half-smile at Shindou. "Boys," she mouthed. Aloud, she wished them godspeed: "Take care of the particulars, and Raijin will take care of you."

[TLUS]

 

[Shiruba]

There was nothing else to be said, they had there orders and Moro had a plan already. Santaru Rin shut down the idea of explosive notes but that was probably for the best. The Cabal group were different from your everyday villains, they had a much larger goal then money but Shindou could be wrong. It was interesting to hear how the city was full of crimes and would take in Shindou with open arms, maybe a full throttle invasion wasn't needed. Just find one of the big cash cows and milk them for everything they know about the Cabal. The two were off and heard the Commander's prayer. He gave her a smirk back and he knew this was going to be an interesting mission, with that he was out of the door.

topic left